Strategies for Securing a Strong MBA Letter of Recommendation
Are you applying to business school? If so, then you probably know that for most MBA programs, your letters of recommendation (LORs) are a powerful piece of your application puzzle. They can validate your story, reinforce your strengths, and give the adcom the confidence to say, “Yes, we want this applicant!” Bonus Tip: Waive your right to view the letter. It signals to the school that your recommender is offering a candid, honest assessment, making their endorsement more credible.
Choose Champions, Not Titles
When deciding who will write your MBA recommendations for you, you want to focus on people who know you, believe in you, and can speak directly to the qualities business schools care about: leadership, initiative, teamwork, resilience, and drive.
While many schools prefer that you secure a letter from your current supervisor, sometimes that’s not an option. If you find yourself in this situation, here are some ideas of how to explain it to the adcoms:
- “I asked my mentor instead of my supervisor, because she’s witnessed my leadership and work ethic for years.”
- “I chose a former supervisor, because asking my current one might jeopardize a sensitive project.”
- “My supplier wrote my letter, because my supervisor is new, and I’ve collaborated with this supplier for three years.”
Whatever the situation, be transparent, and build a strong rapport with your recommender before asking them to write a letter on your behalf.
Never write your own recommendation! Your recommender might ask you to draft their letter for them. Don’t. Gently insist: “The school really wants your honest voice. I’d truly appreciate your own words; it means so much more. I’ll give you the information you need to make it easy.”
If your recommender hesitates or says they can’t write a strong letter for you, believe them, thank them, and move on. You want someone who’s all in for you.
Make the Process Easy and Impactful
Each school asks slightly different questions and will send your recommender a direct link to its recommendation form. These forms can typically be drafted in Word or Google docs, and most MBA programs use the Graduate Management Admissions Council common letter of recommendation or a variation of it (please check with each school individually for exceptions). Expect such questions as “How does the candidate’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified candidates?” and “Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant.”
That latter prompt can be tricky, and your recommender will need to frame their response positively. Ask them to reflect on a time when they gave you advice, and describe how you subsequently took action in response.
Arm your recommender with a “prep packet” that includes the following tools and information:
- A list of the schools you’re targeting, along with the deadlines by which you would like them to submit their recommendation(s)
- Your reasons for applying
- A copy of your resume
- Your goals statement (it can even be an outline)
- A list of the achievements you would like them to mention, with an outline of the story behind each achievement (using the STAR [situation, task, action, result] format)
- Any specific strategic requests you have for your LOR (e.g., emphasizing your communication skills if your GMAT or GRE Verbal score is low)
Timing Is Important
Request your LORs at least six weeks before your deadline. People get busy, and delays happen, so you want to give yourself – and them – some breathing room. Six weeks gives you adequate time to do the following:
- Create your prep packet
- Meet with your recommender and officially request an LOR
- Follow up with them to answer any questions they might have
Do not be afraid to nudge them gently and politely as the deadline approaches.
If your recommender says they’re too busy to write an LOR for you, ask to book a one-hour appointment with them. Explain that you would like to use this time to work together on the letter. Bring all your materials to this meeting and be ready to discuss any and all aspects of your candidacy and application.
You might also offer to lighten their load in other areas (e.g., pick up groceries, walk their dog) to help them carve out time to write. Writing a strong LOR generally requires at least one hour of quiet, focused effort.
Bonus Tip: Waive your right to view the letter. It signals to the school that your recommender is offering a candid, honest assessment, making their endorsement more credible.
By Natalie Grinblatt, a former admissions dean/director at three top business schools. Natalie has reviewed more than 70,000 applications, interviewed more than 2,500 candidates, and trained nearly 700 admissions directors and alumni volunteers to select outstanding candidates for admission. Her clients gain admission to top programs, including those at Michigan Ross, Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT, Cornell, Columbia, Berkeley, Chicago, Northwestern, and NYU. Natalie holds an MBA from Michigan Ross. Want Natalie to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
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